Loop formed of synthetic fibre cord



A 'H. WILLI NGER $512,223. 00? FORMED OF SYNTHETIC FIBRE coma" I I May 19, 1970 I Filed def. 22, 1965 INVENTOR.

ALLAN H. WI LLI NGER Attorneys United States Patent 3,512,223 LOOPFORMED 0F SYNTHETIC FIBRE CORD Allan H. Willinger, New Rochelle, N.Y.,assignor to Aquariums Incorporated, Maywood, N.J., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 500,610 Int. Cl. C01f 7/70, 7/72,7/74 US. Cl. 24123 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention andthis disclosure are directed to a new and improved loo-p formed ofsynthetic fibre cord e.g., nylon. More particularly, the loop is formedin a housing provided with a cavity and means to accommodate the cord tobe looped. The portions of the cord to be joined and in edge-to-edgeabutting relationship and the cavity is provided with an inlet port.Molten thermoplastic material or the like is poured through the inletport into the cavity thereby securing the cords together. The result isa loop being locked in a plastic splice fitting with the cords in closeedge-to-edge abutting relationship.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a a highly simpleand efficient method for forming synthetic fibre cords into closedloops.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a loop formedin a synthetic fibre cord.

It is another object of the present invention to lock 7 spaced portionsof a cord into a loop.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe readily apparent from a consideration of the following specificationtaken in connection with the appended drawing.

In the drawing, which illustrates the best mode presently contemplatedfor carrying out the invention,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary portion or length of a hollow braided cordformed of synthetic fibre which is utilized in the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a loop formed of the cord illustrated in FIG. 1, aportion being broken away for purposes of illustration;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views through a mold utilized to forma splice fitting pursuant to the present invention so as to provide theloop illustrated in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 illustrating the mold in open orinoperative condition, and FIG. 4 illustrating the mold in closed oroperative condition;

FIG. 5 is "a fragmentary view showing the ends of the cord locked inanother type of splice fitting; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the line 6-6 ofFIG. 5 and illustrates a swivel snap hook secured in the splice fittingof FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4 in detail, there is shown in FIG. 1 alength 10 of a hollow braided cord. The cord 10 is formed of anysuitable synthetic material such as, for example, and not by way oflimitation, polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene or polyester. As hereshown, the cord 10 is in the form known as a hollow braided cord.

Pursuant to the present invention, a loop 12 is provided in the cord 10by means of a molded plastic splice fitting 14. The splice fitting 14may be formed, if desired, of the same type of plastic material of whichthe cord 10 is formed or of another type.

Pursuant to the present invention, the splice fitting .14 is formed bymeans of a molding operation about the ends of the loop 12. Morespecifically, provision is made for the companion mold pieces 16 and 18.The lower mold segment 18 is provided with a mold cavity 20 defined inits upper surface 22 and with a pair of laterally spaced pins 24-24whichextend upwardly from the mold surface at opposite sides of the moldcavity. The companion upper mold segment 16 is provided at its lowersurface 26 with a mold cavity 28 which is complementary to the moldcavity 20 and with a pair of laterally spaced recesses 30 which areadapted to receive the pins 24. The upper mold segment 16 is providedalso with a feed channel 32 which extends from its upper surface 34 tothe cavity 28.

As shown in FIG. 3, there is positioned in the mold between the uppermold segment 16 and the lower mold segment 18 one end 36 of the loop 10which is constituted by one end of the length of cord 10 and the otherend 38 of the loop 12 which, as here shown, is constituted by anintermediate portion of the cord 10 but which, if desired, may beconstituted by the other end of the cord 10. With the loop endsso'positioned, the mold segments are brought together so that the pins24 enter the cooperating recesses 30. Thereafter, a suitable plasticmaterial is inserted or fed through the channel 32 as indicated by thearrow 40. The melted plastic flows around the loop ends 36 and 38 asshown in FIG. 4 to form the splice fitting 14. It will be noted thatthere is a tendency to flatten the loop ends as shown in that figure.Where the material of which the splice fitting 14 is formed, is the sameas the material of which the rope 10 is formed, the melted heatedplastic fed in through the channel 32 will tend to melt the surfacestrands along the exterior of the loop ends 36 and 38 and also to flowbetween the inner strands of the cord 10. This will provide a superblysolid lock for the ends of the loop 12. This is due to the fact thatsome of the rnelted material has flown between the individual stands 42which make up the braided cord 10 and upon cooling, solidify betweensaid strands or filaments. In addition, a fusing action takes placealong the periphery of the loop ends 36 and 38 due to the describedmelting of the filaments at the periphery of the lop ends which, uponcooling, fuses with the material of the fitting 14.

However, it will be noted that the foregoing described fusing action,where the melting temperature of the plastic which forms the fitting 14is the same as the melting temperature of the plastic which forms thefilaments 42, is not essential to the present invention. In thisconnection, it is also possible to form the fitting 14 of a plasticmaterial which has a lower melting point than the material which formsthe filaments 42. In this latter case, as well as in the priorsituation, the molten plastic will flow between the filaments 42 of thecord 10 so that upon cooling, the splice fitting 14 will securely lockthe loop ends 36 and 38 in position within the fitting.

The loop 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 may have many and different uses. Forexample, it is eminently suitable as a dog leash or other simiuar use.It also may have many applications in marine use.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 in detail, there is shown anotherembodiment of the splice fitting. As here shown, provision is made for asplice fitting 44 which locks in position the two ends 36 and 38 of theloop 12. Moreover, it will be noted that in the present embodiment, bothloop ends 36 and 38 constitute the op posite ends of the cord length 10.Pursuant to the present embodiment, the described molding operation alsoforms an aperture 46 in the fitting 44. The aperture 46 is eminentlysuitable for securing a swivel snap book 48 in the splice fitting 44.More specifically, the ring 50 of the swivel snap hook 48 is passedthrough the aperture 46 and the snap hook 52 is provided on the ring 50.A loop 12 provided with a fitting 44 and a swivel snap hook 48 iseminently useful in many different fields and 3 for many differentpurposes. In situations where added strength is required, one of theloop ends may be disposed about the aperture 46 and thus molded into thefitting 44. Example, and not by way of limitation, it may find extendeduse in the marine field for holding anchor lines, water ski ropes of thelike.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been ilustrated and described a highly novel loop formed of braided cord whichis formed of plastic material, the ends of the loop being locked in aplastic fitting. It will be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made within the present invention without, however,departing from the basic inventive concept thereof.

I claim:

1. A loop formed of a synthetic fibre cord, the ends of said loop beinglocked in a plasti splice fitting with the portions of the cord being solocked being in edgeto-edge abutting relation, one end of the loopconstituting one end of said cord, the other end of the loopconstituting an intermediate portion of said cord, said cord and saidfitting having a substantially similar melting temperature, said fittingbeing fused to said cord, the locked ends of said loop having a slightlyaltered cross-sectional conformation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,680,347 8/1928 Sunderland.2,835,945 5/1958 Hilsinger 24123 2,983,006 5/1961 Schafer 2473 3,104,6509/1963 Grahling 119-109 3,169,340 2/1965 Morin 43-4498 3,204,310 9/1965Rohland 24-123 FOREIGN PATENTS 71,087 10/1959 France. 1,166,630 11/ 1958France. 1,320,382 1/1963 France. 1,160,841 8/ 1958 France.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

